Venetian blind slat



Oct. 23, 1951 B. WALKER VENETIAN BLIND SLAT 5 sheets-Smm 1 Filed De. 14, 1945 @igt 3 Oct. 23, 1951 B, WALKER 2,572,224

VENETIAN BLIND SLAT Filed Dec'. 14, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 BROOKS WALKER B.. WALKER VENETIAN BLIND SLAT Oct. 23, 1951 3 Sheec's-Shee'fI 5 Filed Deo. 14, 1945 ZO-A (ico-1.5,4

BROOKS WALKE R Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND SLAT Brooks Walker, n Piedmont, Calif.

Application December 14, 1945, Serial No. 634,910

2 Claims.

vladder tapes, against lateral displacement of the slat, but where the lifting cords operate in a manner similar to that described in my United States Patent Number 2,200,349.

This invention pertains to means for securing slats to ladder tape rungs by means of slots or notches adapted to engage the cross rungs of the ladder tapes, or the sides of the ladder tapes, or both, to obtain more improved lateral stability of the slats than is obtained from the lifting cord passing through an edge notch in the slat.

When the lifting cords do not go through the slats or go through grooves or slots in the edge of theslat, it is possible for the wind or dusting to displace the slats from the blind in a lateral direction. It is to avoid this difliculty that the improvements, as pointed out in this application are designed to eliminate.

By these eXtra notches, which can be made in the same set-up as the notches for the lifting cords, the extra stability against lateral displacement is obtained while not interfering with the ready removability of the slats. The slats can be removed by turning the edge thereof and pulling them out endwise without having to undo clips, straps, fasteners, or unlace a lifting cord.

In order to get a better holding of the slat and the cross rung or rungs with a minimum notch in the upper face of the slat, the notch can be cut on the bevel so that the upper face of the slat is relatively unchanged, while at the same time obtaining substantial longitudinal stability due to the diagonal notch and the static weight of the slat on the cross tapes.

To secure even improved lateral stability between the slat and the ladder tape assembly, notches may be cut in the edges of the slat, and ladder rungs of shorter length than the width of the slat (prior to the cutting of the notches), may be used, so as to hold the sides of the ladder tape snugly into the notch or notches in the edge ofthe slat which are adaptable to receive the sides of the ladder tape.

Other advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the accompanying description and claims.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective View of a portion of (Cl. ISD- 173) a Venetian blind embodying this invention, showing a wooden or composition slat with notches meshing the cross rung of the ladder.

Figure 2 is a plan view taken at a section just above a slat showing the slots at each end of the slats.

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2, but showing a different arrangement of slots.

Figure 4'is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing an arrangement of slots with a Wide notch on one side opposed by three notches on the other edge of the slat to engage the tape rungs and lifting cord.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing an arrangement of wide notches on both sides of the slat to obtain lateral stability fromv the ladder rungs of the double type.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figurel 3 in which the notch arrangement shown in Figure 3 is shown when assembled with single ladder rung type ladder tapes.

Figure 7 is a View similar to Figure 1 in which the notches for engaging the ladder rungs are opposite the notches for the lifting cord.

Figure 8 is a sectional View showing a diagonally notched slat resting on a ladder rung of a ladder tape that is cut away.

Figure 9 shows a sawing jig for making a large number of diagonal notches in slats at one setup.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing wide notches adapted to get lateral stability from the edge of one side of the ladder tape.

Figure ll is similar to Figure 10, but shows how Ylateral stability can be obtained by notches in the edge of slats Which engage both sides of the ladder tapes.

In allgures, like numerals of referennce refer to corresponding parts in the various drawings.

In Figures 1 and 2,'a slat I of Wood, metal or composition is shown in which two extra notches 2 and 3 are cut in the edge of the slat, one on each side of the notch 4 for the lifting cord I5. These notches are adapted to engage single type oifset ladder rungs such as I I, which are usual in Venetian blind construction. These rungs are ordinarily disposed on opposite sides of the lifting cord I5 for each successive slat that is supported on a given tape I0. Some ladder tapes, however, use double ladder rungs of the woven or string type as shown in Figure 2 at I2, I3, I4 and I6.

It can be seen that the notch construction is adaptable to meshing with either the double or single type of ladder rung as shown in Figures 1 and 2 respectively.

Figure 3 shows a slat I having notches 6 and 1, opposite notch 4 for the lifting cord which are in' addition to the notches 2 and 3. These notches are adapted to engage both ends of the cross rungs whether of the single offset type or the double type, for increased lateral stability of the slat I.

Figure 4 shows a construction which is quite similar to that shown in Figure 3, except that wide notches 8 are used to engage both double ladder rungs I2 and I3 and I4 and I5 at the side of the slat opposite the lifting cord. This wide notch could engage single ladder rungs and obtain stability if the ladder rungs were alternately both outside the lifting cords and then both inside the lifting cords on alternate slats.

Figure 5 shows a construction wherein wide notches 8 and 9 are used at each side of the slats I to engage the cross rungs I2-I3 and III-I5.

No extra notch for the lifting cord is shown in this design.

Figure 6 shows a design similar to that shown in Figure 3 applied to single rung I2 and I5 type ladder tapes I0.

Figure 7 shows a design where the notches 6 and 1 opposite the lifting cords are used to engage the single ladder rungs I2 and I3 respectively. 'I'hese could obviously engage double ladder rungs such as are shown in Figure 3 if the ladder tapes were so constructed.

Figure 8 shows a construction in which the notches 30 and 3| in a slat I are cut to be wider at the lower face of the slat than at the top face of the slat. This results in better holding for a limited depth of slot in the top face of the slat. This could be exaggerated to not touch the top of the slat at all and only notch the sides of the lower portion of the slat.

Figure 9 shows a means whereby a large number of slats could be held in a iig with a base 39, a movable stop 25 held by a screw 26, which may be set in different holes 20-B or 2li-A, a movable jaw 22 locks the slats in the sawing position by hand screws 2|. The angle of the slots can be changed by changing the angle of the stop 25 and jaw 22. Saw or cutter 4D may be so designed as to cut single, multiple or wide notches as shown in any of these drawings.

Figure 10 shows a construction wherein notches 35 and 36 are wide enough to engage the full side of the ladder tape I6. Notches 31 may be provided to accommodate the lifting cords I5. In this instance, lateral stability of the slats is obtained directly from one side of each ladder tape ID. The slats may still be readily removed for cleaning or replacement by turning the slats edgewise or slantwise and withdrawing them.

Figure l1 shows another form of the invention wherein the notches 36, 31, 38 and 39 are each as wide as the side of the ladder tape Ill, and

by means of the four notches per slat on a two tape blind, lateral stability of the .slat is obtained from the sides of all ladder tapes. 1f more tapes are used, as in wide blinds, notches such as these may be used at each tape. Sunicient lateral stability of the slat may be provided with only one notch such as 35 or 35 and 31 or 35, 31 and 39 may be used where it is desirable to only have the notches at the side of the blind away from the room for appearance sake.

Whenever edge notches are used and adapted to mesh with the sides of the ladder tapes, the cross rungs of the ladder tapes should be less than the Width of the slats in order that they will hold the sides of the ladder tape snugly into the notches.

Any combination or partial use of the edge notches shown in the drawings of this case may be used to obtain the desirable lateral stability of the slats of a Venetian blind and still come within the scope of this invention.

I do not wish in any way to limit myself to the exact details or mode of operation set forth in this specification and drawings, for it will be obvious that wide departure may be made in the way of details without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention which is set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is: v

l. In a Venetian blind Slat of substantial uniform thickness throughout its width, a longitudinal edge of the slat having a lift cord notch and ladder rung notches on both sides of the lift cord notch, said last mentioned notches engaging the ladder rungs to provide lateral stability to the slat in either horizontal or tilted position.

2. In a Venetian blind slat of uniform thickness throughout its width, both longitudinal edges of the slat having a lift cord notch and cross rung notches on both sides of the lift cord notches to receive a single cross rung or a double cross rung of a ladder tape.

A BROOKS WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 62,348 Little Feb. 26, 1867 167,942 Seaman Sept. 21, 1875 175,563 Huhn Apr. 4, 1876 2,170,938 Carreras et al. Aug. 29, 1939 2,234,399 Dougherty Mar. 11, 1941 2,283,640 Kwon May 19, 1942 2,307,278 Krantz Jan. 5, 1943 2,401,283 Williams May 28, 1946 

